Tragedy in care homes; how the vaccine came too late – The Yorkshire Post says

Yet, while the Government, and all those involved in this national effort, deserve plaudits for this work, it should be tempered by the fact that it is too late for the 100,000-plus people who have succumbed to the virus.

And one of the more glaring policy failures, it appears, is taking place in the nation’s care homes where 2,364 residents died from Covid in the week ending January 22.

The highest number of weekly deaths since last April when the ‘protective ring’ promised by Ministers was proven to be non-existent, care home residents were supposed to be a priority in the current vaccine rollout.

Now there will be a variety of reasons for this increase – not least seriously ill people with Covid being transferred from hospitals to free up for beds. But more needs to be done to prevent both the spread of the virus, and making sure that people being cared for in their own home, or other care settings like sheltered accommodation, are vaccinated as a priority.

And, given all the hesitant answers of Helen Whately, the Care Minister, when questioned this week, she, inadvertently, made for the case for a political big-hitter to oversee all aspects of social care from vaccines to longer-term reform.

For, while the Department of Health and Social Care’s structure has just about worked it in the past, it has been playing catch-up ever since the first case of Covid was confirmed a year ago. As such, the current challenges demand a Secretary of State – currently Matt Hancock – with three senior colleagues presiding over social care, mental health and global health security. These roles are too important to be left to chance – or ineffectual junior ministers without the necessary experience.

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